Internal combustion engine



y 1932- J. HIRTREITER 1,859,299

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 25. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly] 3 3l 8 I q I n INVE NTOR #mm A TTORNEY y 24, 1932- .1. HIRTREITER 1,859,299

INTERNAL COMBUSTI ON ENGINE Filed Feb. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Ma 24, 1932 1,859,299

UNITED STATES AT NT-onion JOHN ammmrna, or MILWAUKEE, wrscoivsm INTERNALoontnus'rron Enema Application filed February 25, 1929. Serial No.842,889;

The invention relates to internal combus- The part 6 of the cylinderhead is provided tion engines. with an elongated or relatively narrowcom- It is recognized that the shape of the combustion space 15 which isof a generally rec- -bustion chamber, the arrangement of the" tangularshape having curved end portions 55 valves and the location of the sparkplug or v 17, its width being somewhat reater than 55 plugs in aconstant volume combustible mix,- the valve diameter andits lengt oncenters ture internal combustion engine have a being somewhat greaterthan the diameterof marked effect on combustion and that detothecylinder bore, whereby adequate sized native tendencies may be preventedand sovalves may be used and the bridge between called high compressionpressures emthe valves may be of a size that can be readily 00 ployedwhere these factors are given careful cored. Thus the seats of the valvewill be consideration. It is the object of this invenreadily cooled andthe head will readily withtion to provide a novel form of combustionstand the; operation temperatures imposed chamber design which willpermit of the use upon it without danger of deformation.

of high compression pressure and will pro- The combustion space 15communicates u mote eflicient combustion without detonative with thecylinder bore through a restricted tendencies. More particularly theinvention opening o t roat, 18 whose diameter is refis concerned withthe design of a valve in th erably' somewhat smaller than that o theengine head wherein the charge is subjected valves so that the valvesare prevented from to a cooling action during compression over fallingnto the cylinder and damaging it or 70 a more extended surface than withengines the piston in case the valve springs orkeys or of the usual typeand wherein the spark plug the valve heads should break oil for anyreaor plugs is or are cooled by its or their locason. This throat ispreferably centrally artion in the path of moving gases. ranged relativeto the space 15 and the cylin- The invention further consists in thesevder bore and is formed in the part 6. The 7 eral features hereinafterset forth and more water-jacket space 19 in the part 6 surroundsparticularly defined by claims at the concluthe space 15 and the throat.sion hereo The lower face 20 of the part 6 forms the In the drawingsFig. 1 is a vertical sec-' top of the cylinder bore and is preferably 2tional view through an engine embodying parallel with the opposing topface of the pis- 30 the invention, taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; tonand the clearance space 21 between said Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview similar face and the piston, when said piston is in its to Fig. 1taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; upper dead center position, is reducedto just Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on enough to permit aworking clearance. 85 the line 33 of Fig. 1. 1 One or more spark plugs22 project into the Referring to the drawings the numeral 4 chamber 15just above the throat 18 with their designates the engine cylinder, 5the piston terminals 23 projecting out over'or in line working therein,6 and 7 parts of the head with the wall of the throat, which ispreferwhich are suitably secured together and to ably flared at itsupper end 24, as shown in the cylinder. the drawings. The main portionofthe The art 7 of the head forms the top of throat is also preferablyslightly tapered or the com ustion chamber and is provided with flaredtoward the cylinder space with a furan inlet port 8 controlled by avalve9 andan ther flare or curved edge 25 at its lower end exhaust port 10controlled by a valve 11. to facilitate the passage of the gases. v Y 4.Both the inlet and exhaust valves are of the Where two spark plugs 22are used the pre 3 poppet type, normally closed by springs 12, ferredmethod is to arrange them opposite and each opened in known manner bytappet each other. In either case the spark plug is levers 13 associatedwith tappet rods 14 which disposed centrally of the space 15 and, itwill are actuated in proper cyclic sequence by the be noted, is arrangedas closely as possible to usual engine-driven cams (not shown). thecenter of mass of the charge.

' chance of hot spot preignition. 1

* As the compression is completed the charge With this arrangement, when'the inlet valve 9 opens during the suction stroke, the fresh vaporousmixture will be drawn into the combustion space 15 and some of it willpass over the hot exhaust valve and tend to cool the same and because ofthe throat the suction effect of the'piston will rapidly draw any hotresidual gases surrounding the exhaust valve through the throat and intothe cylinder space along with the new char and the space 15 and thethroat will be fill substantially fresh mixture by the time the suctionstroke is completed. During the compresion stroke the cons or vaporousmix ture is compressed, hilt because of its contact with the relativelygreat area of cooled surface afforded by the cooled top of the head part7, the cooled walls of the space 15, the throat 18 and the top 20, thetemperature at the end of the compression is kept down to a point wheredetonative tendencies of the charge are avoided and ignition can be madeto occur at'the best time. As the piston nears the top 20 the gasesbetween it and said top are squeezed or forced out of the relativelysmall clearance space 21 and through the throat l8 which produces a goodturbulent action of the gases that assists in their mixing and preventsthe formation of local hot zones. At the same time the char e passingthrough the-throat 18 at considera le velocity washes or cleanses thespark plug points 23 of any carbon deposits to prevent short circuitingand at the same time readily removes any residual heat from the same toprevent. any

is fired either by one or two cause of its compact form the lypropagated throughout the combustion space 15 and. throat under constantvolume combustion conditions and the subsequent expansion of the chargedrives the piston outiplugs and beward or downward on its power strokeand.

the products of combustion are expelled past the open exhaust valve 11in the ensuing exhaust stroke; Owing to the restriction, the powerdelivered to the piston will be uniformly applied as unequal pressurecondi tions are rapidly equalized in the space 15 before they have achance to react upon the gases in the cylinder space. Furthermore,

any depositions that ma form as a result of imperfect combustion uringstarting will occur'in the head part 6 and will not get into thecylinder space proper and cause damage.

It will be noted that by making the cylin.- der head in two parts thevalves ma be readily groundby removing the top hea 7. Furthermore, thetwo-part arrangement of the head here shown prevents the development ofobjectionable casting strains that might occur were said parts formed inone piece. I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to belimited to any particular with ame is rapidform or arrangement of partsexce t insofar as suchlimitations are specified in t e claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. Inan internal combustion engine ofthe four cycle valve-in-the-head type, the com j bination with thecylinder an the piston.

working therein, of a'cylinderhead having an elodiated combustion spacecommunicating wi said cylinder through a restricted 'pas'sa ofappreciable length means surroun ng sai passage for-cooling the same toabstract heat from the gases as they flow through said restrictedpassage, combustible mixture inlet and exhaust valves seating on portsin the walls of said. space facing the-- piston, said iston definingwith the bottom of said head a space of substantially mini- 1 .mumclearance at the end of the compression stri'cted passage ofsubstantially cylindrical cross section, means surrounding said passagefor cooling the same to abstract heat from said gases as they flowthrough said restricte'd passage, combustible mixture inlet and vexhaust valves seating on ports in the walls 3. In an internalcombustion engine of the four cycle valve-in-the-head t pe, thecombination with the cylinder and t e iston working therein, of atwo-part cylin e'rhead, one a part of said head having an elongatedcombustion chamber with rounded ends provided with a cooled passage ofsubstantially cylindrical cross section adapted to abstract heat fromthe gases on their passage therethrough affording restrictedcommunication with the cylinder space and with a wall portionsubstantially (parallel. with the top face of the piston an definingtherewith a space of minimum clearance atthe end of the compressionstroke,'the otherpart of the head forming a wall facing the. piston,combustible 1mixture inlet and exhaust valves seating in ports in saidlast-named wall, and a sparking ignition device for the combustionchamber. 4. In an internal combustion engine of the four cyclevalve-in-the-head type, the com-- bination with the cylinder and thepiston working therein, of a cylinder head having an elongatedcombustion space with rounded .ends and of a length somewhat greaterthan the diameter of the cylinder bore and a passage afiordingrestricted communication'between said space and the cylinder, com- 90'cylinder through a centrally disposed rebustible mixture inlet andexhaust valves in the wall of said space facing the piston, the wall ofthe space adjacent said passage and facing the piston beingsubstantially parallel thereto and defining therewith a space of minimumclearance at the end of the compression stroke, and a sparking ignitiondevice for said combustion space.

5. In an internal combustion engine of the four cycle valve-in-the-headtype, the combination with the cylinder and the piston working therein,of a cylinder head having an elongated combustion space with roundedends and of a length somewhat greater than the diameter of the cylinderbore and a centrally disposed passage affording restricted communicationbetween said space and the cylinder, combustible mixture inlet andexhaust valves in the wall of said space facing the piston, and asparking ignition device having its terminals disposed substantially inline with a wall of said passage, the wall of the space adjacent saidpassage and facing the piston being substantially parallel thereto anddefining therewith a space of minimum clearance at the end of thecompression stroke.

6. In an internal combustion engine of the four cycle valve-in-the-headtype, the combination with the cylinder and the piston working therein,of a two part cylinder head, one part of said head having an elongatedcombustion space with rounded ends and of a length somewhat greater thanthe diameter of the bore of the cylinder and a centrally disposedpassage affording restricted communication between said space and thecylinder, combustible mixture inlet and exhaust valves in the wall ofsaid space facing the piston, said passage flaring outwardly toward thepiston, the wall of the space adjacent said passage and facing thepiston being substantially parallel thereto and defining therewithaspace of minimum clearance at the end of the compression stroke, and asparking ignition device arranged in said chamber at the entrance ofsaid-passage thereto.

7. In an internal combustion. engine of the four cycle valve-in-the-headtype, the com bination with the cylinder and the piston working therein,of a cylinder head having an elongated combustion space and rovide witha throat leading into said cylin er, combustible mixture inlet andexhaust valves seating on the ports in the wall of said space facing thepiston, the diameter of said throat being somewhat smaller than saidvalves, and a sparking i nition device in said space for igniting the carge.

8. 11 an internal combustion engine of the four cycle, valve-in-the-headty e, the combination with the cylinder an the piston working therein,of a cylinder head having an elongated combustion space and providedwith a throat flaring outwardly toward the piston, combustible mixtureinlet and exhaust as outlet ports in the wall of said space acing thepiston, valves controlling said ports, and a sparking ignition devicefor said space.

9. In an internal combustion engine of th four cycle, valve-in-the-headtype, the combination with the cylinder and the piston working therein,of a cylinder head having 7

